How Is Everyone Doing?

[bob_sauve28]

Hope everyone is doing alright. The games of last weekend seems to have left Sabre nation shocked and awed. Those were two very bad defeats and it hurt. We then got the long lay off to dwell on what a real beat down got laid on the team. After the high hopes of a new season, new coach and new players to really lay an egg like that, and get physically beaten down like that was a super downer. There is no denying the fact that those defeats hurt.

 

Yet, to keep things in perspective, they were only two games. No need to start speculating on who the number one pick in draft is...yet. No reason this should become a tank season. It's way to early to let defeatism take hold. The team must make some excuses for why they were not ready and get their act together, win some games and make this a season we can get excited about.

* New Jersey was not good last year in standings, but they always play well against us. Maybe it was a match up thing

* The team chemistry isn't there yet with a lot of new players

* They just were not ready for season, but this wake up call will get them going.

* Seemed to me the veteran players--like the "bottom six" played better than the younger player, hopefully the kids will get up to speed soon

Nothing cures the hockey blues like winning and the Sabres better figure this out soon.

 

Go Sabres!

[Pimlach]

These Euro trips should be given to the better and more veteran teams.  The Sabres needed to stay home and work.  
 

This group has a lot to learn.  The season is a long one.  I still think they can be competitive.   I’ll be there on Thursday and I  hope the crowd is behind them.  

[matter2003]

I'm fine.  Expecting it to take some time for the players to stop thinking so much about what Ruff wants them to do and where he wants them to be on the ice in various situations and start playing freely without having to think.  

Obviously the offense or lack there of is concerning as well as the PP, but hopefully that kind of goes together with the point up top.  Granato didn't seem very technically oriented, he gave them more of a "go play" type of system, which ALMOST worked the first year, but there were clear issues with it if this team wants to become anything more than a fringe playoff team. 

Granato did not do a good enough job implementing a system last year and that is where Ruff should succeed where he failed...Ruff is a very sound coach in terms of playing style and systems. 

[Captain Caveman]

The last time a Lindy Ruff coached team went 0-2 to start the season, they then won 16 of 17 (in 2022.)

(This is not what I see happening, but I need something to cling to right now.)

Edited October 8 by Captain Caveman

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Hope everyone is doing alright. The games of last weekend seems to have left Sabre nation shocked and awed. Those were two very bad defeats and it hurt. We then got the long lay off to dwell on what a real beat down got laid on the team. After the high hopes of a new season, new coach and new players to really lay an egg like that, and get physically beaten down like that was a super downer. There is no denying the fact that those defeats hurt.

 

Yet, to keep things in perspective, they were only two games. No need to start speculating on who the number one pick in draft is...yet. No reason this should become a tank season. It's way to early to let defeatism take hold. The team must make some excuses for why they were not ready and get their act together, win some games and make this a season we can get excited about.

* New Jersey was not good last year in standings, but they always play well against us. Maybe it was a match up thing

* The team chemistry isn't there yet with a lot of new players

* They just were not ready for season, but this wake up call will get them going.

* Seemed to me the veteran players--like the "bottom six" played better than the younger player, hopefully the kids will get up to speed soon

Nothing cures the hockey blues like winning and the Sabres better figure this out soon.

 

Go Sabres!

NJ was not good last year,but they were devasted by injuries AND had pretty bad goaltending. They are a very, very good team, especailly now that they look to have average-to-above average goaltending.  No excuse for the Sabres but they may have been playing a team that is a top 5 team in the league.

[Weave]

“How” they responded in game is more the issue and concern.

I’m good.  Mostly because this team doesn’t occupy the emotional space it used to.

[LTS]

54 minutes ago, Weave said:

“How” they responded in game is more the issue and concern.

I’m good.  Mostly because this team doesn’t occupy the emotional space it used to.

100% this.  I'll care more when they show they care more. Maybe. In the end its supposed to be entertainment and I am anything but entertained watching them.

[R_Dudley]

Yeah a bit disappointed they didn't show better in the first two games, but possibly it was too much of a distraction with the hype and sightseeing for a young team.

I really want to see a solid start here at home for the next two games, wash the stink of that road trip away and start building back their confidence. 

Let's go Buffalo make home ice an advantage this year out of the gate. 

[nfreeman]

As the great Marv Levy said (in quoting a Scottish ballad):

Quote

"Fight on, my men," says Sir Andrew Barton,
"I am hurt, but I am not slain;
I'll lay me down and bleed a while,
And then I'll rise and fight again.

 

[Stoner]

Nobody... NOBODY... circles the drain like the Buffalo Sabres!

[SabreFinn]

Thank you for asking! I am fine. I will wait until Thanksgiving before I get disappointed.

[pi2000]

Wasn't expecting much vs NJ considering they had 10 days off and only played at best AHL caliber talent up to that point.

No more excuses.    Need a better effort up and down the lineup.     I'm OK with mistakes, but no excuse for lack of effort.

Lindy was brought in to hold these guys accountable.    Need to see something Thur in front of the home crowd.

[JustOneParade]

4 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

NJ was not good last year,but they were devasted by injuries AND had pretty bad goaltending. They are a very, very good team, especailly now that they look to have average-to-above average goaltending.  No excuse for the Sabres but they may have been playing a team that is a top 5 team in the league.

Very much this. NJ was a 112 point team two years ago. They've since added a few very good pieces and their excellent young core is ... dare I say ... developing quite well. I'd go as far to say they are a President's Cup and Stanley Cup contender. Last year was an aberration.

I frankly didn't expect they would win any of the two games in Prague but was very disappointed they didn't play better than they did.  Many of the problems that plagued this team last season have carried over and that's troubling. Let's see how they look in another 8 - 10 games. The possible range of outcomes can be big. I'll set my expectations at that point.

 

[mjd1001]

16 minutes ago, JustOneParade said:

Very much this. NJ was a 112 point team two years ago. They've since added a few very good pieces and their excellent young core is ... dare I say ... developing quite well. I'd go as far to say they are a President's Cup and Stanley Cup contender. Last year was an aberration.

I frankly didn't expect they would win any of the two games in Prague but was very disappointed they didn't play better than they did.  Many of the problems that plagued this team last season have carried over and that's troubling. Let's see how they look in another 8 - 10 games. The possible range of outcomes can be big. I'll set my expectations at that point.

 

Some dont' realize just how good that New Jersey team can be.

That 112 point team. Their top 5 scorers were Hughes, Hischier, Mercer, Hamilton, and Bratt. That forward group was very young and should be better now (maybe much better) than they were then due to being 2 years older and closer to their prime.

On Defense, Luke Hughes was too young to even make that team, but he'll be playing this year. With the other additions they made, their D-unit this year should also be better, maybe considerably better, than it was 2 years ago.

In net, Vanacek then, Markstrom now.

Now last year they were devasted by injuries, but if they can stay somewhat healthy this year, this year's NJ team should be better than that 112 point team from 2 years ago. Not much of a reason to not think so.

 

 

[North Buffalo]

With Bills looking Meh because Shakir is out and didnt go out and get a good Veteran #1 receiver I was hoping Sabres would step into the void... looks like Ill need to detach a bit this year... you never know but my expectations were just lowered considerably this past week... 

[Thorner]

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, Pimlach said:

These Euro trips should be given to the better and more veteran teams.  The Sabres needed to stay home and work.  
 

This group has a lot to learn.  The season is a long one.  I still think they can be competitive.   I’ll be there on Thursday and I  hope the crowd is behind them.  

Well the other way to look at that is Adams should have built a team with more veterans on it but you are correct, they do not seem to have put in the work and changed at all. 

Buffalo was obviously chosen because there is a Czech fan club as we saw. I assume because of Hasek. I kind of expected Hasek to drop a puck but I guess there's some sort of politics or something going on there. League doesn't really choose teams for these things based on better and veteran, they chose two supposedly young and future star filled franchises, or so it seemed before they played. They've got an actual opening night with Boston Florida for the banner raising and Utah featured late as the new kid on the block so you can't fault their thinking. 

As always I survive and get rather detached as the season progresses because I follow other teams as substitutes. It is the only way I can stay a hockey fan. This year as well as Boston I will be watching Ottawa to see if Ullmark makes a difference, I will keep keeping an eye on Philly because I want to see if the Tortorella plan eventually works or not (and there's Michkov), Seattle and Vancouver a little since they are close and I could go to a game if I really wanted to and I think I'm going to watch Nashville as I like how they are doing their rebuild. Other good match ups as well as the season unfolds. 

I just love hockey and will not let this team make me lose my love for the game. For this team, who once were my main team by far (a long time ago) I feel like Godot, just waiting forever and it never arrives but I keep waiting all the same.

Edited October 8 by PerreaultForever

[#freejame]

I think there was plenty of talk about how good New Jersey is before, during, and after the game. There’s also plenty of talk about no more excuses. 

[Demoted]

Sabres lost 2 in a row, Bills lost 2 in a row... I'm fine. Oh yea and some dude named Milton is coming to visit.

 

Edited October 8 by Demoted

[Night Train]

I'm not even blinking for another month.

A far better team beat the Sabres, who are in a major transition. I will watch. 

[DarthEbriate]

I'm bored, but otherwise doing alright. There's too much time between games 2 and 3. Thanks for asking!

[mjd1001]

24 minutes ago, Night Train said:

I'm not even blinking for another month.

A far better team beat the Sabres, who are in a major transition. I will watch. 

I agree.

I just wanted to see more offense.  If you are going to lose at least be entertaining. Plus if you lose by allowing a lot of goals, defense can be cleaned up.  A total lack of offense...a lot harder to fix.

And from what I saw of the goals allowed, yeah the Sabres were a bit sloppy, Powers pass in game one was awful, but I didn't see much that said there were awful positioning in the defensive end that can't be fixed.  Its the breakouts and the lack of chances/scoring that is the bigger issue through 2 games to me.

Edited October 8 by mjd1001

[Scottysabres]

Hate to be the bearer of bad projections, but what you saw in this first 2 games is what the Sabres are. They may get slightly better as the season progresses, expect Levi and UPL to even manage to steal us a game or 3, but I for one am not going to lie to myself. The playoffs aren't happening this year imho.

If you cannot show up ready to do what it takes at the very start of the season to compete, that's more than just indicator of failure, it's a tone, and setting that tone culturally early on. I hope I'm wrong, but as of now, I see nothing that says they aren't what they were last season. Yes, to me, those first 2 games, the way they played, the culture shown, is the grim reality of what we Sabres fans face, yet again.

Don't hate the messenger, it's merely an opinion.

[Taro T]

We're comfortable.  😉 

[French Collection]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Buffalo was obviously chosen because there is a Czech fan club as we saw. I assume because of Hasek. I kind of expected Hasek to drop a puck but I guess there's some sort of politics or something going on there

I didn’t like that two former Devils dropped the pucks on both days.